I always get mad when I read lists like this because I’ll never be able to see the top films on the big screen because of proximity. I would have loved to see Into Great Silence in a quiet theater with interested people, but will only get to experience it on DVD (coming from Amazon in a few days!).

Very glad to see Perfume in your runners-up list, although wasn’t it released in 2006? In any case, I love that story so much. Tykwer did such an excellent job with that book.

A very gutsy move putting Into Great Silence at #1. I was really excited for this one when I first heard about it, as I’m usually up for anything most would consider excruciatingly boring. But I must admit I was very disappointed. There was plenty I could appreciate about it, but I was surprised at what I thought was rather poor and uninteresting cinematography. I guess I was expecting it to be much more visually beautiful, especially because I wasn’t expecting much else from it (surely nothing in the way of dialogue!) Of course it makes its point well, putting you very much into the shoes of someone experienced in solitude, stillness, discipline. Point well taken, and even appreciated. But I didn’t feel like that was enough to make it a good film.

As for Lars and the Real Girl, I sure wish my church was showing that to the congregation instead of Facing the Giants. There is so much value in that film. Beautifully done.

I think your critique of Juno, about her character being overdone, is spot-on. A great movie. I think I got caught up in the hype, though, and now I’m hearing a lot of criticism about it after the fact that I’m really agreeing with.

And, mostly because of your brief comment in this post, I went to my library and rented The Station Agent, determined to give it another try. I didn’t like it the first time I saw it, and you’re not the only one who continues to rave about it. I’m sad to say, I think I’m still missing something.

Thanks for the list. I, too, am stocking up my queue, where they will vie for the upper slots against all the list-toppers from other years!

This is a good, eclectic list, Jeffrey. I’m already bulking up my Netflix queue with The Devil Came on Horseback, God Grew Tired of Us, and Manufactured Landscapes.

I fear No Country for Old Men has been slightly overrated by critics, leading to unreasonably high expectations. Even so, it’s my favorite American film of 2007, and I’d defend it in a heartbeat. On the other hand, There Will Be Blood, though certainly one of the year’s must-sees, isn’t being criticized enough. Reading some of the reviews, you’d think they were hailing the Second Coming.

Monday, January 21, 2008 @ 8:00 PM
Monday, January 21, 2008 @ 12:30 AM

And ur mention of the Station Agent yes a real gem. I saw it years ago and last week once again on IFM , resonating all the more now that i have a son who has a little something extra with DownSyndrome, i saw it with some refreshed eyes…talk about looking closer… the film threw me to the mat, the gaze of Finbar Macbride haunts me still… consoling in a sense and making the film another great lesson.

and now on to read ur and the FULL review of There will be Blood!

have a great day,
Jacques of the Arts and Faith boards..